Posting 11: What is this? BUSH WEEK?

Doreen dropped me to the Anacostia Metro rail station which is just a couple of stops from Washington's National mall (where all of the attractions are at; The Smithsonian museums, The White House, the US Captiol, etc etc etc). My first stop was to be the National Air and Space Museum which was something I enjoyed last visit but felt I needed to go though once more. The museum opened at 10am and I wandered around three hours or so. The Apollo spacecraft and memorabilia were the highlights for me.

After that I needed some lunch so crossed the mall and headed North in search of some lunch and settled for a hotdog and chips. I wandered for a few hours more passing by the J Edgar Hoover FBI building and countless other buildings of note. I was heading West in the direction of the White House, when as I was wandering passed the Hotel Washington I stumbled across a small stage that had a podium and several chairs arranged in front, as well as a police dog doing a bomb sweep, several Secret Service guys talking into their cuffs and a small group of the public gathering with cameras at the ready. I asked what was going on and no-one really seemed to know although some were expecting to see Barbara Bush. I decided to hang around and sure enough after 20 mins or so of waiting, the croud started to grow a lot more quite quickly and more Press turned up. Then someone shouted "There he is!"



I looked across to see George Bush Snr walking over and shaking hands with people with Babs Bush in tow. I managed to get a few pics, although most are blurry - the downside of taking quick photos when your only option is to reach up high and aim over the heads of people in front. They were there for the launch of "The Extra Mile" - a Hollywood Blvd style walk of fame, recognising the contributions of people who had gone the extra mile in helping others. A plaque was unveiled and a few people spoke including Eunice Kennedy Shriver who I think is Arnie's mother-in-law?



After that, the Bushes headed into the hotel and I wandered around the side of the hotel where the distinctive black Chevy Suburbans were waiting to take them away. I sat there for 20 mins or so waiting for them to come out and head off in the vans. Out they came and I managed to get another few snaps.



I then wandered over to The White House and just as I arrived at the East Entrance, the 3 Chevy Suburbans turned up heading in - I got one more pic and you can see Daddy bush in the rear. Exciting stuff.



Tomorrow is the anniversary of the Million Man March on Washington and DC is expecting 10s of thousands of people to turn up for that. I'm probably gonna head in and be part of that experience...